A Faith Such as Ours:

     To those who have received faith, precious and to the saving of our souls, what are we to do once we have it?  Peter says we have been given everything we need to live a godly life, whereby we are participants in the divine nature.  Get this, it is important.  The divine nature is no less than what Jesus walked in and expressed to those who would open their eyes and see the opposite of what existed around them daily.  Peter says also to add goodness to your faith,and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance Godliness, and to Godliness mutual affection and then finally love.  If he says, we do this then it would keep us from being ineffective in our knowledge of him.  That is what we should do, however it is practiced in our lives and however we find it in the local Churches around us today.
     Granted, it is much harder than it seems, because there is opposition to it, and it is natural for us to resist our true nature and do the things we always did.  But, there is grace upon grace because of the Holy Spirit given to us to succeed in this.  The Spirit searches all things and knows the mind of Christ and so it imparts to us a power to live different lives from that which we lived before thereby being participants in a nature that is divine like our Lord.  We are like him in that we resist the Devil at all turns and corners of our life and are now knowledgeable to his schemes set against us.  Paul himself, resisted continually until the very end. So we suffer in nature like Christ but, be comforted, because if we suffer for him we suffer on the side of righteousness.  So we carry on and in ourselves a great and precious faith to do the will of him who is eternal and he will reward those with him one day  the promise of eternal life and a kingdom that is greater than this one. What are we to do, Love one another as he loved us..........

That sweetness of first things tasted. Young life

  Do you remember?  Has it been too long since the taste of first things caused a sweetness in you?  Then take a trip down memory lane and remember the things that made you smile, made you feel alive, and perceive all the the wonderful things of early adolescense, and young adult life that made you feel impervious to life's curve balls.  I remember, the smells ands scents of flowers of Springs not tasted many times, the freshness and the lively way it made me feel. I remember first love's of friendships made, cars first driven, movies first seen, and first love.  Now it seems rote, the experiences of life tumbled together, cynisism's felt, hearts's broken, and hard times too many to say, mixed together in the dough of life and expanded in my mind that presses those early times out.
    But, there is hope!  For all of life's troubles and experiences that tumble out of somewhere we cannot readily see, there is the hope to be born again!  Yes there it is.  What Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus, and the woman at the well, (The Samaritan), there was that which made new all over again.  Born of the Spirit, as Jesus knew was the recipie for life anew.  That which Jesus walked in every minute and every day and for three years to make the thirty three years of his life exceptional.  What you say?  Yes it is true.  The Spirit of God poured out to you has the capacity to make you start all over again in a brand new way.  And with it comes a 360 degree way of thinking. It will transform your thinking in ways that is counterculture to everything you have known up to this time.  Though cliche in it's useage for our culture, born again terminology is exactly the word for a transformation that will make you again experience life anew, complete with the very things I mentioned above in the first lines of this blog. So do not lose heart in a world that is fast becoming hard to take with it's war's, catastrophes of nature, sadness of stories in the news, and families and friends split because if differences not mended in time to save relationships.
     Christ was Messiah, savior, of men, women and children, to lead them into a different kind of living.  Though we have to find it ourselves and sometimes it is a bit of a mystery how and why some do and many don't, yet it is true.   We have to filter it through the Centuries of the Types of Christianity offered in our culture and pick and choose and wade through perhaps doctrinal mazes to get at it. How ever the purest way is to find those who have already been there done that and see the truth for your self in that.  And begin to read yourself the Acts of the Apostles and the beginning of Pentecost and the early Church to understand the roots of our present day Christianity.  Sifting through for yourself and coming to the right conclusions when reading and experiencing the Gift of the Holy Spirit will then shed light on what I am saying.  And then over time again you will have to guard your heart against a hardning that comes with experience, even in being born again.  Because  you will now face the same trials, Jesus and his followers did, but you will know without a shadow of doubt that God is in it, and for you and beside you in all of it and you will have the newness everyday to find within you the life Jesus wanted for all of us.
       Then comes holiness, sanctification, justification, and all of the Gospel's truth tubling in sometines to fast to to work on.  And then you will find all the other people on the same journey as you perhaps doing what they can to reverse the course of a fallen nature, pouring into communities, families, and citizens  the hope needed in your new found sphere of influence.   Peace.

Advancing the Kingdom of Light;

     Jesus was perfect in everything that he did.  He always did what the Father told him.  Nowhere in the scriptures do I find any antagonistic nature on display from him.  Even in the account of all that he did as relayed by his disciples you would think there would be at least one thing that would betray this, but there is not one thing.  he healed, tought, fed, and walked from town to town displaying a very different nature that what we do.  Everyday we live and work  in a world where blame is cast, accusations fly, and people do what ever they can to remain blameless themselves to what end?  To look good of course.  In advancing the kingdom of light those who actually practice what they preach in Christianity will then advance in this world....light instead of dark. It is so discouraging to hear the words, it's not my job, I don't get paid enought to do that?  Or, Can't you see that I'm busy! Get someone else to do that....and on and on it goes.  You see there are those corporations that actually infuse their companies with a mentality of cooperation and as we know they excel way beyond others in everything they do and people for the most part are content and happy to be there.  So we walk in a world of darkness is it any wonder why we are frustrated at the end of every day?  Our nature like that of Peter, when confronted with the prediction of his Lord's death was counter to Jesus's.  "Get behind me Satan",, you are only concerned with human concerns!"  So how do we as Christians navigate through this type of nature that non-believers display? It for certain they they too recognize the failings of working in this type of environment or else apathy woul not be so prevalent.  They are sick of it too, and so it's them not me attitude prevails everywhere.  Now not eveyone succumbs to this but 80- to 90 percent do.  And that is enough to be a bad apple in a barrel! To spoil the bunch.  So to advance the Kingdom of light we must always align ourselves on the side of righteousness and truth, not ours but the Lord's.  And then avoid the traps that are set, to catch us up in.  And avoid the defense we put up inorder to resist accusations that may be false against us.  We live in a fallen world and things will go wrong everyday.  Cheer up you Christians!  Yes the Kingdom is here but there will be resistance to come against. Advancing like in battle requires persistence!

I'm ticked! Tired of preachers using the Gospel for their Agenda or their interpretation of it!

     Ok it only took thirty seconds to tune into today a preacher railing against family and marriage!  And mis representing anything that resembles common sense and to boot perverting the gospel by inserting his own interpretation of what the Gospel does not say!
    He said something to the affect that families in the time of Jesus were large many children so that when the parents got old they were cared for and this was a type of security that could replace God and he called it idolatry! And today we have stocks and investments that we derive our seurity from  instead of family or God and so that could be idolatrous.   Further he said, if two young people desire to be married and are too young in Christ they have no business getting married ! NOW This type of preaching is a dividing technique and a controlling technique and is not scriptural at all.
   Commandment" Honor thy father and thy mother!  In the time of the Prophets one could be stoned for cursing their parents.   They were tought honor.Family was important, in the Old Testament and the New.  What about widows?  That is addressed the book of Acts.  And ministry was formed to take care of them so they were not overlooked.

Marriage was in that time also arranged by parents (think Mary and Joseph)and also could be political between Kingdoms (nations) and tribes to garner peace and or just good relations. Also they tended to marry very young, 14, 15, 16 was not uncommon.  So tell me, does a 14 year old know all there is to marriage?  I think not.  Paul in his letters supported marriage for those who wished to be, and preferred that to "burning" by waiting too long. In other words, Paul knew the needs of the young and the tendency to not want to wait for those in Love.  He also stated that he would rather they be single  so they would serve God whole-heartedly and not be torn between service to God and to family needs.  But nevertheless there was no straight line to forbidding to marry  or waiting to be "ready",however there were those who did not want to marry because it was arranged, and perhaps love was absent. I have found Western Christianity to be heavy handed and improper in it's counsel to the young at times and in some circles.
  I have not found  guidelines to the affect of waiting in marriage or of families being kept at a distance anywhere in the NT stipulating this kind of doctrine.  Preachers need to be very careful that they do not enter into a controling type of doctrine, then it becomes  cultlike behavior.  So yeah, I'm ticked by hearing these types of sermons dictating it as authority and using the Gospel to promote doctrine  when it is in fact not.  Common sense, trust, fidelity, hope, and faith go a long way in two people's lives to create a future together.  Let them do it!  Let families stay together, don't divide by calling it idolatry by using  fear tactics.  Family will sort it out or go their own way.

The Confusion of Our Time

     The natural order of things we have known is slowly slipping away.  The things that have been put in place are no longer staying in that place.  The accepted norms are no longer accepted but changed and with that comes confusion and disorder.  The same is reflected in the natural around us.  Seas that go wild, and Tsunamis are generated by lands that quake and cities are destroyed.  Is this something old or is it new? And are we experiencing the future too early?  Shifting weather patterns due to climate change say the scientists.  Warming trends that cause a Spring to early and winters too late.  Birds and insects out of natural time seeking what they have known are born out of season and die early for lack of feeding grounds, and pathology that destroys bees now in summer and the fall.  The rest seems to have disappeared for us and the land and the animals.
                                       Should you not tremble in my presence?
                                            I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
                                         an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
                                           The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
                                         they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23                                         But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
                                              they have turned aside and gone away.

  These are the words of God from Jeremiah. Proclaimed to the nations of Judah and Israel. They too are on the verge of something unatural.  For in their time and fierce nation, and a people with a language they do not understand with "quivers lilke an open grave." will descend upon them and leave them desolate.  Why?  "My people are fools,they do not know me. They  are senselesss children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good."

          This nation was supposed to be a blessed nation and a witness that Almighty God was in their midst.  Instead they rebelled forgot their God, their covenants and for their own piety they received in themselves and their nation a justice from above.
     Have we forgotton our roots?  And have we now entered into a place unnatural for a God to bless us nationally?  Isn't that what we are crying out for in our elections?  For someone to lead and restore.  That will never be man, absent the morality and awareness of his God. One who can and will change seasons and times, a warning, to us.  The simplest things are now in confusion and cause battle lines to be drawn in this nation.  Laws are being implemented and created to suppport a new and different version of morality.  Genders are mixed.    And we can now be whoever we can be, believe whatever we want and do whatever we want.  There are no boundaries.  This is opposite in nature of a  God who gave boundaries to the seas, that cannot displace the sands, cannot roar over them. Unless of course he desires to show himself, Lord over all.  Jesus with but a word, calmed his seas for his nervous disciples.   

            And so with Law we will create new order, inclusive, exclusive, intrusive, whatever it takes to make us happy in our current moment.  

That ever fearful state ;Doubt

      Even the greatest of great men can be cast away and fall into a deep state of doubt and unbelief.  John the Baptist was such a man.  The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "make straight the way of the lord!"  Yes this was the one man, a firery, wild and untamed spirit who went before the Lord, proclaiming the coming Kingdom of God and his Messiah.  This was the one who Leapt in the womb, before birth, upon Mary's approach to Elisabeth.  The heavy Spirit of God was upon him from his birth until his death in captivity by King Herod.
   John, who Baptized for the repentance of sins, to make those ones, clean, and prepared the way for the true Messiah who would do so much more.
     Jesus said, "and if you are willing to accept it, he was the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears , let them hear."
    So fast forward to some years later, and John  has been imprisoned, and has fallen into a tremendous state of depression and doubt for he sends his disciples to inquire of Jesus;  "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"

     Such a tremendous witness for the Messiah has fallen deeply into despair.  But, take heart, Jesus lifts him up with a word sent back. " Go back and report to John what you hear and see; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  And now for the final uplift, Jesus says, "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me!"
     What mercy.  What compassion, to the one who most needed it in his time of trial.  John I'm sure went on to his death with greater comfort after these words and commands from his Lord!
   What we as Christians must never lose sight of, is the temptation to fall and enter into a state of deep doubt about our Lord, or even the things we suffer if we end up in a place we never expected too or we do not end up doing for Christ what we first thought we would do.
    Doubt is a serious foe to tangle with. It will strip away and fast the faith that we take years to cultivate.  So be on your toes daily!
     I know first hand, because I have sought for many years the very things that slip through the fingers as though vapor.  And I have wrestled with the age old question, Why?  Anyway, enough of the pity party, suffice it to say we go on and do what we can to influence the sphere around us, and what we have been given.  Even if I never get to ever preach in a Church and to a  congregation the elements of salvation and of God's grace (which I have often hungered for) I will instead, feed the poor, visit the sick, the imprisioned, and try with every breath to fulfil the word the lord has commanded us to.  And especially in the time of Now.......when it is most important, as darkness grows around us.  So with faith in tow.....carry on  my wayward son, there will be peace when you are done.............(credit to Kerry Livegren, Kansas)
   

Everyday; The pressing and assault of our Humanity

    Can you wake up today and not be confronted by all the needs of our humanity?  Can you drive along to work and not be confronted by one on the street, who is poor or is at least appearing to be one who is in need and not feel the tug on your heart? Everyday, I know I am confronted with issues that make or break my level of Christianity.  Some days I just want to retreat into my ownself and not be asked any thing of me.  I cannot keep up with all of the issues of those people around me that require me to be well "perfect", as Jesus commanded us to be, those of us who have forsaken all of the things in this world that oppose God's kingdom and will.  I cannot do it and so I look for the grace that Paul preached.  And yet I know that I am far away from the level of righeteouness (that of the Pharisees) who practiced a careful reading of Law and Prophets to attempt to attain Holiness.  They failed and were singled out by John and Jesus both as vipers.  What a word.  And reminded to wash both the inside and outside of the cup. Jesus told his disciples that "my word has made you clean."  This was at the washing of their feet and a teaching that we were to employ ourselves.
    And so, I am constantly battered by the needs, wants of a world spinning much too fast and attuned to a global media that funnels all of life's events into micro-seconds and bites of information that can put me right into a quagmire of well,  a feeling of heaviness that I do not want.
    So how do I go on?  I go on knowing that it is impossible to without a certain faith that does not come from this world or it's teachings, but enters in by one who lived it before me.  Yes I do admit I fail and see all of the still dark corners of my heart at times and yield to self pity and doubts but somehow shake off that and remember my teacher from Israel.  If I don't, then I begin to lose my saltiness as Jesus said and I am good for nothing!  And so everyday something will come at me to challenge my heart, and everyday I will remember that I am not alone, but am surrounded by a multidude of invisible and  sometines unreachable people also on the journey that I am on.  I am also reminded that in the heavenlies, there are those Angels, ministers of fire and of God himself that look on in a kind of wonder at all of the things we must endure, so we can inherit a kingdom not easily seen.
   

Listening to a voice not our own; To redeem the shipwreck of our faith.

     "Give us a King, Give us a King,"  They 'shouted, and so Israel became a nation like any other with a King at the helm of a nation instead of God himself.  Saul was annointed King, blessed in the beginning by the mercy of God, but abandoned and inflicted with a demonic Spirit later on intent on killing the King God would later install for himself....King David.
     So whose voice are we going to listen to today in our own nation? That of a man, subject to a man's whims? and all that goes along with it?  Do we really want to be led by, blasphemous words? Be represented by one who shows wealth and power with gilding of gold leaf on everything owns, with a name stamped on everything he has? Is this the kind of man we are now to choose to shepard a nation of democracy? And are we being blindsided because of what the basest of our own instincts are leading us too? The big " I" is taking over and because most of the nation feels that it has lost something of itself I,e, jobs, border control, terror encroaching, stock market turmoil, and houses lost and the poor becoming poorer?  These in themselves are all representative of the daily fears we must live with. However, when we cede power to man and elect someone to speak for us, we shipwreck our faith.  NO longer do we look upwards to a higher power to seek our refuge in. and that was the undoing of the nation of Israel so many thousands of years ago.  Instead of a nation of Priests, yielding to the voice of the one True Shepard they traded it for a man, and with it they received in that man all of the faults that was within that man.  Taxes, houses and vineyards and the choicest of cattle and stock went now into the King's hand.
   The stark difference between Obama and Trump couldn't be more plain.  Campainging on "Hope" in 2007, and now campaigning on Loss, fear and "becoming "great again"  and raising a deadly hope in the masses.
     Beware of a man that is mocked, and feels slighted,  for In that comes an inner drive of self will that may prove costly for us as a nation.  The undecurrent of our nation surely has changed in the 8 years since Hope was paraded before us and we elected the first African American president to represent us and put behind us ths sins of the past in  the slavery of our fellow man. The restraint of which this President showed in governing, is now maligned and skewed and we are now "weak" according to Trump.  Remember Christ was weak also, and was necessarily so, to listen to the Father's voice and do, exactly what the Father wanted.  Victory was sown in weakness.
     We must not shipwreck our faith, by yielding to everything scripture warns us about when it comes to the desires of man.  In the end, King Saul was run thru by a sword, David died peacefully in his own bed,  after expanding the borders of his nation, and yes David yieded from time to time with his own desires and sinfulness, but he was always aware of it, and sought forgiveness.  Trump in his own words, has never asked for that from God!  Unpredictble says the media, scary, says my Spirit.